The present invention relates to an image read apparatus, a film cartridge handling apparatus, and an adapter and, more particularly, to an image read apparatus for reading image information from a film conforming to, e.g., an advanced photo system (APS.TM.) housed in a film cartridge having a member which shows information on development status of the film which changes in connection with a housed state of the film in the film cartridge, a film cartridge handling apparatus for treating the film cartridge, and an adapter used for setting the film cartridge to, e.g., the image read apparatus.
An APS.TM. film cartridge accommodating a photographic film and a disk for indicating information on development status (called "development status information" hereinafter) of the accommodated film is well known.
FIGS. 11A to 14B are views showing both of the bases of an APS.TM. film cartridge. On both bases of the APS.TM. film cartridge, disks which rotates in connection with a pull-out operation of the film from the film cartridge are provided. FIGS. 11A, 12A, 13A and 14A show one base of the film cartridge, and a film scanner optically senses a pattern appears on this side and determines the utilization and development status of the film. Further, FIGS. 11B, 12B, 13B and 14B show the other base of the film cartridge, and shows the utilization and development status of the film on the basis of which shape; out of a circle, a semicircle, a cross, and a rectangle; has a different color from the others, changed by the disk.
A case shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B indicate an unused state of the film (undeveloped), a case shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B indicate that the film is in use (undeveloped), a case shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B indicate a state that all the frames of the film are exposed but undeveloped, and a case shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B indicate a state that the film is developed.
Further, a system for reading an image from the film accommodated in such the film cartridge by setting the film cartridge to an image read apparatus via a specific adapter is also known.
In the conventional system, for example, the following operation has to be performed before an image is read from a film. First, the film cartridge is set in the adapter, then the adapter is set in the image read apparatus. Thereafter, whether or not the film has been developed or not is checked on the basis of the information indicated by the disk. If it is determined that the film has been developed, then the film is pulled out from the cartridge, whereas, if it is determined that the film has not been developed, then the processing is terminated without pulling out the film from the cartridge.
Further the disks rotate in connection with an accommodated state of the film in the film cartridge, as described above, therefore, when the film is pull out from the film cartridge, the disks show either one of the aforesaid four utilization and development statuses or a status which does not belong to these four states regardless of the actual utilization and development status of the film. Thus, the development status becomes undeterminable when the film is pulled out from the film cartridge.
Therefore, even though the film has actually been developed, if the adapter is accidentally or intentionally taken off from the image read apparatus with the film being pulled out from the film cartridge, the disk may indicates an undeterminable or improper development status. If the adapter with the film cartridge is set in the image read apparatus after that, the image read apparatus determines the film in the film cartridge has not been developed, yet, and terminates the processing immediately. It does not even rewind the film in the film cartridge.
As a result, the film cartridge is left in an abnormal state in which the film is pulled out from the cartridge with the disks indicating an undeterminable or improper development status. If this happens, the film cartridge can not be used in any image read apparatus.
Further, an adapter which is provided with a CPU so as to keep various information on a film cartridge set in the adapter has been considered. In such an adapter, power source for the CPU on the adapter is the main issue. Accordingly, a configuration for providing electric power from an image read apparatus, a configuration for providing a battery in the adapter, and a configuration for supplying electric power to the CPU from an image read apparatus when the adapter is attached to it and from a battery provided in the adapter when the adapter is detached from the image read apparatus are considered.
In the first configuration, however, while the adapter is detached from the image read apparatus, the CPU can not detect or store what kind of process is performed on the film cartridge because electric power is not supplied to the CPU, therefore it is not practical. In the second configuration, if the battery is exhausted, information stored in the CPU is completely lost, thus, it is necessary to exchange batteries frequently. In the third configuration, the aforesaid problems associated with the first and second configurations are overcome, however, when the power source is switched from an external one (i.e., from the image read apparatus) to an internal one (i.e., the battery), a rapid voltage change occurs and the operation of the CPU becomes insecure. Accordingly, a normal operation is not always secured.